It’s the final countdown for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris as they make one last push for the White House.
It’s still too close to call following an incredible campaign that has included Trump’s felony trial, two attempts on his life and the dramatic exit of the incumbent President Biden from the race.
Now the American public will decide. Will it be Trump for a second time – or Harris who would become the first woman, first black woman and first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office?
One thing is for sure: It will come down to the seven ‘battleground’ or ‘swing states’: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia.
Kamala Harris is spending the eve of the election in Pennsylvania, where 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the electoral college outcome. Harris will then attend a late-night rally in Philadelphia where she will be joined by Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.
Donald Trump has chosen to target three swing states, beginning in Raleigh, North Carolina, and stopping twice in Pennsylvania with events in Reading and Pittsburgh. The former president will then head to Grand Rapids, Michigan for an evening rally.
It’s going to be a nail-biting finish with all eyes on the swing states. Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016 – but then lost them to Joe Biden in 2020. And Trump has won North Carolina twice and lost Nevada twice. He also won Arizona and Georgia in 2016 but then saw the Democrats reclaim them in 2020.
History will be made whoever wins.
While Harris would become the first woman, first black woman and first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office, Trump would be only the second president in history to win non-consecutive White House terms, after Grover Cleveland on the late 19th century. Trump would also be the first incoming president to have been indicted of a felony.
Both need to build a coalition of voters – and in the swing states. Many policy issues will collectively sway the result but the economy is predominant for voters which is a problem for the Democrats. Indeed, inflation has hit levels not seen since the 1970s under Joe Biden’s administration, hitting Americans hard in the pocket in the process. However, the championing of women’s rights by Harris could also be significant. Voters concerned about the protection of abortion rights could have a real impact.
More than 78 million people have already cast their ballots, breaking early voting records in many states. This could suggest a higher turnout than usual.
The weekend polls offered slightly different projections and predictions.
The key takeaway is this: Individual polls have a margin of error of 3-4 percentage points – and all the leads in the swing states have fallen within this margin. With the leads in the swing states so small, it’s impossible to know what will happen on the night.
Featured image courtesy of Gage Skidmore